Brave little Abbi loses her locks for friend

Tanya Scoon

A little Kirkcaldy girl with a devastating health condition of her own has selflessly had her long hair cut off to help children like her friend’s sister who has been diagnosed with leukaemia.

Abbi Forrester (8), of Sir Thomas Elder Way, suffers from CFZ syndrome, an extremely rare condition which is an anomaly of several different rare syndromes.

Darci with stylist Liza.

One of these is moebius syndrome, which paralyses the face, so little Abbi cannot smile, frown, or grimace and cannot move or close her eyes.

She also has Poland syndrome – a small right hand and missing chest muscle, Peirre Robin syndrome – a small bottom jaw, high arched pallet and a different shaped tongue with limited movement, and is undergoing ongoing treatment for club feet,

Despite her own difficulties, caring Abbi, a P4 pupil at Capshard Primary School, decided she wanted to help out when she heard that her friend Sienna Jackson’s 2-year-old sister Darci was diagnosed with leukaemia just three weeks after she and her family moved to Saudi Arabia.

And on Monday Abbi and her family, dad Greg and mum Linda, visited a new hairdressers, Signature Salon in the town’s Commercial Street, where stylist Liza Cumming cut Abbi’s below the waist length hair to shoulder length.

I am very proud that she wanted to help others

Abbi’s mum, Linda Forrester

And as well as being sent off to make a wig for the Little Princess Trust for children who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment, Abbi has also raised over £1400 in sponsorship, which will allow the charity to pay for four more wigs.

Linda explained: “Abbi and I were looking at pictures of Sienna and Darci in Saudi Arabia on Facebook to let her see what life was like out there, when she started asking questions about Darci like what had happened to her and where her hair had gone.

“She asked me if it would grow back in again and if there was anything we could do to help her, and that’s where the idea of having her hair cut to make into a wig came from. She still thinks that her hair will be made into a wig for Darci.

“It was Darci who inspired her to do this, and I am very proud that she wanted to help others, considering what she is going through herself.”

On the day of her hair cut Abbi took a bit of persuading to go ahead with the haircut, but she now loves her new style. And her actions have inspired two of her friends to do the same thing, so even more money will be raised for the Little Princess Trust through her actions.

Linda added: “Until now all the fundraising has been for Abbi, so for her to want to do this for others was really nice.

If you would like to help boost Abbi’s fundraising total, visit: www.facebook.com/linda.forrester.102/posts/577333725738088